The invention relates in general to sawhorses and in particular to that class of sawhorses known as folding sawhorses.
Folding sawhorses per se are old and well known devices. It has long been recognized that it is highly desireable to fold the legs of a sawhorse parallel with the sawhorse top for transportation and storage. Considerable effort and money has been put forth towards perfecting a folding sawhorse. Examples representative of such endeavors are the inventions set forth in the following U.S. Pats: J. W. Downey, No. 3,225,865, Dec. 28, 1965; J. R. Martin et. al. No. 3,177,974, Apr. 13, 1965; H. P. Weinkauf, No. 2,485,178, Oct. 18, 1949; E. S. Garibaldi, No. 2,544,989, Mar. 13, 1951; and, F. B. Swanson, No. 3,286,788, Nov. 22, 1976.
Each of the foregoing inventions includes two sets of leg pairs hingedly connected to the sawhorse top. Each leg pair set is attached to an end of the sawhorse top. When the sawhorses are in a set up position, the leg pairs correspond to their counterparts of a conventional non-folding sawhorse and are substantially normal to the sawhorse top. All of the above prior art folding sawhorses include a brace which extends between a leg pair and the sawhorse top. In the sawhorse folded storage state the leg pairs and braces have an orientation parallel to the sawhorse top. Transition between the sawhorse set up position and folded storage state requires the leg pairs and braces to either or both pivot and slide. Inevitable to such movement is friction and concomitant wear of the moving parts. Typically such wear results in a decrease in the stability of the sawhorse in a set up position.
A general object of the invention is to provide a sawhorse which is equivalent in performance to a conventional non-folding sawhorse yet which folds easily and compactly for transportation and storage.
Another object of the invention is a folding sawhorse which is highly stable in a set up position.
A further object of the invention is a folding sawhorse which tends to compensate for wear of its moving parts.
An additional object of the invention is a brace which provides high structural rigidity yet also functions as part of a storage hasp for securing the leg pairs and braces to the sawhorse top in the sawhorse folded storage state.
Still another object of the invention is a folding sawhorse incorporating a storage hasp which positively secures the leg pairs and their associated braces to the sawhorse top.
Yet an additional object of the invention is a folding sawhorse having a storage hasp which is of a conventional, standard, easily understood and operable construction.